Suction cleaner



Aug. 27, 1935. B. c. SHlPMAN SUCTION CLEANER Filed Nov. 25, 1931 2Sheets-Sheet l SUCTION CLEANER Filed Nov. 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W/fnass as /m em"or Patented Aug. 27, 1935.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUCTION CLEANER Bennet Carroll Shipman, SanMateo, Calif.

Application November 25, 1931, Serial No. 577,293 Claims. (oi. 15-14)This invention relates to the suction, or socalled vacuum type ofsweeper cleaners, and has for its object. improvement in theeffectiveness of dirt removal. The plain suction type isin- 5 efiectivein removing any materials that are not light and loose. Also, if thesuction is made greater, i. e. the vacuum increased by seating thenozzle more tightly against the carpet or surface to be cleaned, thedensity of air within the noz- 'zle is reduced and therefore madelesscapable of dislodging and moving particles of dirt, especially ofthe heavier varieties. Resort has been had to beating brushes andsimilar devices to dislodge the dirt initially from the pile of rugs orweave of carpets. Such heaters are only partially successful even thoughan improvement over suction only. In order to more completely dislodgeundesired materials, this invention uses a jet or a plurality of jets ofair at relatively high velocity projected into the weave or pile ofcarpets, rugs, etc., thus dislodging dirt, sand, etc., with no wear orinjury to such goods. By placing the discharge nozzle of such jetswithin the suction nozzle the dislodged dirt is immediately 2 caught bythe suction draft and removed to the point of disposal. Also, eventhough the suction nozzle may be and should be tightly seated againstthe surface cleaned, the density of air within the suction nozzle issustained by the supply of air delivered from the pressure nozzle, thusmaintaining an atmosphere of high density for moving all loosenedmaterials.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the middle of one embodiment ofthis invention; Fig.

2 is a cross section on line AA of Fig. 1; Fig. 3

is a crosssection on line B,B of Fig. 1; Fig. l

is an inverted plan on line C -C of Fig. 1 of the nozzles; Fig. 5 is aninverted plan of an alternative type of nozzle to that shownin Fig. 4,being a slot instead of a ,row of orifices; and Fig. 6 is a form ofextension hose suitable to replace the combination suction and dischargenozzles, 4 and 5, illustrated in Fig. 1, for Work otherwise notaccessible.

In the arrangement illustrated, the suction sweeper proper is acentrifugal fan, II, mounted in a casing, 3, on a hollow shaft or tuyre,I6, which in turn is secured by means of bolts, II, to the eccentricrotor, I3, carrying an oscillating,

reciprocating blade, I4, mounted within the casing, 2. The said rotor isbolted to the flange, I0, attached to the shaft of the motor, I. Thusthe whole unit is direct connected. The size of the eccentric, positivedisplacement pump, should be proportioned to the number and size ofopenings in the discharge nozzle, 5, secs to maintain sufficientpressure to .cause the required velocity through the orifices, 23,, todislodge all dirt or other undesirable materials in or on the fabric vor other objects to be cleaned.

In the particular construction illustrated, the suction of the pump orcompressor is obtained through port 24, in the outer casing, 2, guardedby a screen. As the rotor revolves clockwise the blade, I4, pressedoutwardly against thecas- 10 ing, 2, by centrifugal action, theincreasing crescent shaped space behind the blade draws in a supply ofair, and the decreasing crescent shaped space in front ofit compressesand drives out the air through the recess in the blade, I4, into 5 thecentral space of the rotor and thence into the hollow shaft or tuyre,I6. -As the blade, I4, has a slight oscillating as well as reciprocatingmotion, the semi circularbearings, I 5, are provided for both movements.Connected to the 20 tuyere, I6, is the discharge nozzle, 5, so that theair pumped by the eccentric compressor is forced out the plurality oforifices, 23 of Fig. 4, or the continuous slot, 23a of Fig. 5, at highvelocity. The tuyre, I6, is supported at its free 5 end in the bearing,I9, which also carries the tapered socket, 22, into which the end ofthepressure nozzle, 5, seats. This tapered socket, 22, shown threaded intobearing, I9, acts also as a retainer for spring, 2|, which presses theannu- 30 lar sealing disc, 20, simultaneously against the end of thetuyre, I6, and against a recessed portion of the bearing, I9, so as tocover the joint between bearing and shaft in order to prevent leakage ofair from the pressure duct to the suction of fan, IT. The greater thepressure developed the tighter the disc, 20, will seat.

The air from the compressor is led down the pressure nozzle, 5, andescapes through orifices, 23, or slot 23a, according to the constructionused, 40 at high velocity. These orifices 'or slots should be properlytapered to develop the maximum coem cient of discharge and thereforemaximum veloc ity at point of escape, in order more thoroughly toagitate the surface, pile or weave against which 45 the air is directedand thereby more effectually to dislodge dirt or other undesirablematerials. Such dislodged materialsnecessarily first appear in the spaceimmediately surrounding thedischarge nozzle, 5, and within the suctionnozzle, 50 4, the bottom edges of which rest on the surface to be swept.'With a properly designed'fan, I1, of sufiicient capacity, the suctiondraft existing at the bottom of the nozzle, 4, will removev all y theair delivered from the nozzle, 5, together with 55 the dislodgedmaterials, more readily than with the usual form of sweeper usingsuction alone, for the reason that the atmosphere within this suctionnozzle isdenser and therefore more capable of transporting materials.The fan runner,

I1, as illustrated, is shrouded, one shroud forming part of thesupporting hollow shaft, and has forwardly curving blades to develophigher velocity of discharge for a given speed. The exhaust fandischarges to a settling bag, 6, or other device for the retention ordisposal of the refuse.

In order that the apparatus may be used with suction only, as forinstance on a hard floor, the inlet opening, 24, of the pump, 2, may beclosed by the cover, 25,-thus shutting off all supply 01 air to thepump. Rollers or casters, 9, are pro-" vided for ease of propulsion inthe usual manner guided by handle, 1.. The motor is supplied with powerthrough the flexible cord, 8.

The pressure nozzle, 5, contained within the suction nozzle, 4, ispreferably made as an integral unit, as shown. The whole unit is thenremovable and seats simultaneously the pressure nozzle at seat, 22, andthe suction nozzle at the intake of the fancasing. A latch, I8, servesto lock the nozzles in place. By removing these combination nozzles andsubstituting therefor a flexible double hose, 30, as shown-in Fig. 6,the action of the-sweeper can be readily extended to places otherwiseinaccessible; This hose consists of an outer (suction) hose, 3|, and aninner (pressure) hose, 32. One end of this combination hose, 30, isequipped with terminals similar to the combination nozzles, 4 and 5, soas to seat similarly and simultaneously the pressure hose at socket, 22,and the suction hose at the suction intake of the fan casing, andadapted to be locked into position by the latch, 18. The other end ofthis hose, 30, is equipped with terminals adapted to connect with thecombination nozzles, 4 and 5, or similar nozzles. Thus both theagitating air jets and .the surrounding suction draft may be extended topoints otherwise inaccessible. It is not at all necessary that the innerhose, 32, remain concentric with the outer hose, 3|, through- .out itslength.

I do not wish to be limited to the form of constructlon as shown herein.It is evident that my method could be applied by means of various formsof construction differing from that shown. Therefore I desire to secureby Letters Patent the following:

1. In a pneumatic cleaner .of the pressure and suction type, comprisinga cleaning head having a discharge nozzle for projecting air underpressure against a surface to be cleaned surrounded by a suction nozzlefor removing material loosened by air so projected, a pumping unit fordischarging air under pressure to the first named nozzle and forcreating a'suction pressure withinthe last named nozzle, said unitcomprising a positive displacement pump, a centrifugal fan, a motor fordriving said pump and fan, a hollow shaft extending axially from saidpump and hay ing communication with said discharge nozzle, through whichshaft said pump discharges and on which shaft said fan is mounted, theintake of said fan having communication with said suc tion nozzle.

2. In a pneumatic cleaner of the type comprising a cleaner head having acentral discharge nozzle for directing air under pressure against asurface to be cleaned surrounded by a suction nozzle for removing saidair and the dirt en'- trained therewith, a pumping mechanism comprisinga centrallydischarging pressure element, and a peripherally dischargingsuction element directly connected thereto, and a substantiallyconcentric double duct connecting the discharge of said pressure elementwith said pressure no'zzle and the intake of said suction element withsaid suction nozzle.

3. In a pneumatic'cleaner of the type comprising a cleaner head having'a central discharge nozzle for directing air under pressure against asurface to be cleaned surroundedby a suction nozzle for removing saidair and the dirt entrained therewith, a pumping mechanism comprising apressure element having an elongated shaft with a discharge passagetherethrough, and a centrifugal pump having an impeller mounted on saidshaft and anintake orifice surrounding said discharge passage, and asubstantially concentric double duct connecting said pressure nozpellermounted on said shaft and an intake ori-' vfice surrounding saiddischarge passage, and a substantially concentric double duct connectingsaid pressure nozzle with said discharge passage and said suction nozzlewith said intake orifice.

5. In a pneumatic cleaner of the type comprising a cleaner head having acentral discharge nozzle for directing air under pressure against asurface to be cleaned surrounded by a suction nozzle for removing saidair and the dirt entrained therewith, a pumping mechanism comprising acentral rotor, a hollow shaft therefor, an eccentric casing for saidrotor and a pressure vane slidably mounted in said rotor to contact saidcasing and having a discharge duct therein communicating with saidhollow shaft, and a suction device having an intake orifice surround-

